Slice deflector



Sept 2), 1932-- '.1. c. VAN BERKEL sLIcE DEFLEcToR Filed Jan. 20. 1927 Patented Sept. 20, 1932 Unirse STATE-S PATENT I JOHANNES c. van BERKEL, or cornNHAeNN, DENMARK, AssIcNon, BY MnsNn .f lssIeN-l MENTS, TO NAAMLOOZE VENNOOTSCHAP VSNIJ' MACHINES VOLGENS VAN BERKELS EATEVNT EN VAN .ANDERE VV'EIB,KTU'TLGEN,Y

MAATscHArrIJ 'for VNRAARDIGING veN on ROTTERDAM, NQLLAND, er' NorrnnDelYI, NntrHEnLnNns, n Limmen-Linien:

ITY COMPANY SLIGE DEFLEGTQR Application led January 20, 1927, Serial No. 162,228, and in Great Britain September 8, 1926.

This invention relates to machines for slicing vmeat and other material, and has for one of. its objects the provision of means for clearing the slice as it is formed from the slicing knife and directing the movement of the slice into a desired position.

Other `objects will appearv lowing description. Y

The invention is eXemplifiedin the combi nation and arrangement of lparts shown in the accompanying drawing and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing- F ig. 1 is an elevation of a slicing machine having one embodiment of the present in,- vention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the machine shown in `Fig. 1, with parts in section; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation at right angles to Fig. 1 showing the rotary knife and slice -delectorn j At present Various kinds of deflectors are vused fo-r deflecting the cut slices `clear of the knife, but they have the disadvantage that the slices adhere to the deflectingface so that the movement of the slices away from the knife is frictionally retarded.

To avoid this disadvantage the` slice de- Hector may be formed with ribs extending substantially horizontally across the `deflecting face. With this formation the contact from the folarea ofthe deflecting face and the opposition Voffered to movement of theslices are consider.-

ably reduced.

According' to this invention, thereis provided a slicing machine of the kind stated in which the slices are pneumatically acted upon in order to prevent them adhering to the slice `deflector Preferably, the slices are acted upon by air under pressure, as they are being out, so as -to prevent adherencecas aforesaid and also to cause them to be blown from the deflecting face at a part thereof adjacent to the cutting edge of thel knife. The air may be directed through holes in the slice deflector onto the slices andmay be supplied from a pumping device operated by the machine or from ,a vessel containing compressed air.

Means may be provided for regulating the supply of artothe deector.

The slicing machine shown comprises a rotary knife 1 journaled. in a bracket 2, a reciprocatory carriage 3 slidab'ly mounted 0H guides 4, a hand wheel 5 by means of which the machine is operated` in the usual manner and a bed plate 6, serving as a support for the working parts. Y

Fitted to the bracket 2 is a slice deflector 7' which is inclined to the knife in s ucha man-V ner as to cause the slices, as they are cnt, to turn over and fall upon a receiving table Si rllhe deector 7 is connectedto .a` stationary air pump cylinder 11 by way ofv a pipe 1() fitted with a'valve 14, the piston 12 of the air pump being secured by means of a vpiston rod 16 to the carriage 3. The piston 12 is prO.- vided with a p orttherethrough and .co-.operating with which port is a spring flap 15 Constituting a non-return valve. The deflector 7 is shown formed withribson its vdeflecting face and with a plurality of holes 1,3 through this face.

During the cutting stroke of the carriage 3, air is forced by the air pump through lthe pipe 10 to a substantially closed space be.- tween the deflector 7 and the knife 1. The air issues from the holes 13 a-ndforces away from thedeflecting face of the deflector the slice being cut.

The pressure `of the air .can be regulated by meansof the valve 14. The holes may be so inclined and dimensioned as to distribute the air over the slices in a manner which will insure that the slices are depositedA properly, on the receiving table. lThe means described is chosen lmerely by way ofexamp'le and many modifications' may be adopted Without departing from the Spirit of the invention. For example, the ,slice deflector may be formed .hollow so as to afford Aa chamber into which the `air under pressure maybe le@ Further, instead Ofen air pump, a vessel containing compressed air may .be used. i The ineansis applicable 1toslicingmachimes .ether than-12h08,@ 0f .the neeproeatirls carriage type, as wi-llrbe readily understood.

Further, the slice elCt-Or illustrated has a ribbed deflecting face, but any suitable kind of deflector may be used.

I claim 1. The combination with a slicing knife, of a slice deflector disposed adjacent the'cutting edge of said knife at one side thereof, for deflecting slices away from said knife, and means for supplying air to the face of said deiiectorv adjacent the sliceformed by said knife to reduce the resistance loffered by said defiector to the movement of the slice thereover.

2. The combination with a rotary slicing knife, of a slicek deflector disposed adjacent the cutting edge of said knife at one side thereof in position to direct slices away from said knife as they are severed, said slice deflector having a plurality of discharge openings distributed over the facek thereof, and

means for discharging air from said openings. Y

3. The combination with a slicing knife, of a slice deflector disposed at one side of said knife for directing the slices away from said knife, said slice deflector having projections lon the facethereof to limit the contact befrom the face of said deflector.

4. The combination with a slicing knife, of a deflector disposed adjacent one side thereof for directing slices away from said knife, said deflector having projections on the face thereof with depressions between said projections, and means for injecting air into said depressions.

5. The combination with a slicing knife, of a deflector disposed adjacent one face of said knife, said deflector having ribs thereon with intervening depressions, and means for discharging air into said depressions to prevent slices from adhering to said deflector.

`6. The combination with a slicing knife, of a support for receiving slices formed by said knife, a slice deflector disposed adjacent one face of said knife, said slice deiiector having a plurality of discharge openings distributed over the face thereof, and means for discharging currents of air from said openings to direct a slice from said slice deflector onto said support.

`7. The combination with a slicing knife, of i a deflector disposed adjacent the cutting edge of said knife at one side thereof'to deflect slices away from said knife, said deflector having a plurality of perforations therein, means for discharging air currents through said perforations to reduce the friction between said deflector and the slices moving thereover, and means for controlling the force of said currents.

8. The combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife, of'a slice deflector for directing slices awayv from said knife, an air compressor operated by saidslicing machine,

and means for conducting air from said compressor to the surface of said slice deflector to prevent curling of the slices as said slices pass over said deflector.

9. The combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife, of a slice deflector for directing slices away from said knife, an air compressor operated bysaid slicing ma? chine, a conduit for conducting air from said air compressor to said slice deflector, said slice deflector having perforations vfor directy ing air against the slices formed by said knife, and a valve for controlling the passage of air from said aircompressor to said slice deflector.

10. A slice deflector for slicing machines comprising a member arranged to deflect slices away fromthe cutting edge of a slicing machine knife,'and supplemental Vmeans for reducing the resistance offered by said deflector to the passage of slices thereover coinprising pneumatic means lfor acting on said slices in a direction toward the slices as the latter move over -said slice deflector. Y

11. A slicing machine comprising a slicing knife, a slice deiiector adjacent said knife, projections on said deflector adapted to contact with a slice cut by said slicing knife to thereby reduce the resistance offered by said i deflector to the movement of said slice thereover, openings in said deflector, and means for directing air out of said openings against said slice as it mov-es over said deflector.

12. A slice deflector for deflecting slices j away from the knife of a slicing machine comprising a member having a chamber therein, a slice deflecting surface on said member, said member having openings therein forming communicating means betweeir said substance support relatively` to said 'knife so that said knife will cut slices from the substance on said support, means for deiect'ing slices away from said knife by a current of air as said slices areV formed, andY means for regulating'the force of said current of air. Y

14.1In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife, of a substance support movable relative thereto, a slice deflector adjacent said substance support, an air compressor operated by the relative movement between said slicingknife and support, and means for directing air compressed by said 'ico ies

compressor between the surface of said deflector and a slice moving thereover, said compressor being operable as said support moves towardsaid slicing knife'. u

15. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicingknife, cfa support movbeing adapted to cut successive slices from a substance of substantial thickness mounted on said support, said slices tending to move over the edge of said knife and cling to the side of said knife during the slicing operation, and means for injecting air between the flat sides of said slicewhich lies adjacent said knife and the side of said knife to prevent said slice from clinging to the side of said knife and. for the purpose of assisting the depositing of said slice on a support and for reducing the resistance offered to the rotation of the knife by the engagement of the slice with the side thereof.

16. The combination with a slicing knife,

of a slice deflectcr arranged adjacent said.

knife, and means for supplying air to said deector, said deiiector having a discharge opening therein for directing air therefrom against the broad side of a slice formed by said knife and between said broad side of said slice and said deflector-over a substantial area of said deilector to thereby reduce the resistance offered by the deilector to the movement of said slice thereover.

17. ln a slicing machine, the combination with a rotary knife, of a slice deflector disposed adjacent the cutting edge of said knife at one side thereof for directing slices away from said knife as they are formed thereby, and means for injecting air between substantial areas of said slice deflecter and the slice being formed to prevent distortion of said slice as said slice moves over said deliector by reducing the resistance offered by said deflector to the movement of the slice thereover.

18. In a slicing machine, the combination with a rotary knife, of a slice deflector disposed adjacent the cutting edge of said knife at one side thereof and in substantially fixed position with respect to said knife, said deflector having an opening in the surface thereof, and means for discharging air through said opening against the slice as the latter passes over said deflector and over a substantial portion of the opposed surfaces of said deflector and said slice to thereby reduce the resistance offered to the movement of the slice over the surface of the deflector.

19. The combination with a slicing knife, of a support for receiving slices severed by said knife, and means for directing a plurality of distributed streams of air against the face of said slice as it is severed to thereby direct said slice broad side down onto said support, said knife being adaptedV to cut slices from a substance of substantial thickness so that normally a considerableportion of said slice comes into engagement with said knife and tends to be carried in the direction of movement of said knife, said distributed streams of air being directed against the side of said slice adjacent said knife'to deflect said slice out of engagement with the side of said knife and thereby reduce the tendency of said slice to move with said knife and assist in depositing said slice broad side down on said support.

20. The combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife, of a slice deflector for directing slices away from said knife as they are severed thereby, and means operated by said slicing machine for directing a current of air between a substantial portion of said deflector and the broad side of said slices severed by said knife to thereby reduce the resistance offered by said deflector to the movement of the slices thereover.

21. A slicing machine comprising a slicing knife, of a means for discharging a plurality of distributed air currents against the broad face of a slice as it is formed, said broad face being that face which lies on one side of the cut taken by said slicing knife and which tends to move over the surface of said knife adjacent the edge thereof during the severance of the slice from the substance, said air currents moving the surfaces of said knife and slice which normally tend to engage each other, out of engagement with each other during the cutting of the slice to thereby prevent said slice from being carried along by said knife and the slice from retarding the movement of said knife. j

22. The combination with a slicing machine, of a slicing knife, an air compressing device operated by said slicing machine for directing an air current against the broad side of the slice which lies on one side of the cut made by said knife to thereby move said broadside of said slice out of contact with the adjacent side of said knife to thereby reduce the resistance which is offered to the movement of said knife by the engagement which normally occurs between said knife and the slice.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 27 th day of December A. D. 1926.

JOHANNES. C. VAN BERKEL. 

